Best Clementine Marmalade

Sweet Tortellini's Note:

I got this recipe off of Debber here at Food.com but I have clarified the directions and tweaked it slightly. I love this recipe and you will too, especially if you're like me and can never finish those Costco clementine flats! The cooking time does not include the 2-3 hours boiling the clementines nor the cooling period. I suggest you cook them 3 hours before going to bed and then letting them cool overnight.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 pint jars

• 16 seedless clementines, whole
• 9 cups water
• 1 lemon, halved
• 7 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Scrub & rinse clementines, place in enough water (about 5 cups) to cover in a large non-aluminum soup pot.
2. Squeeze lemon - reserve juice. Bundle the lemon seeds with cheesecloth and tie it off. Add bundle of seeds and the halved lemon to pot.
3. Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours until fruit is soft. Keep checking to make sure the water does not completely evaporate, add more if needed as the bottom will scorch and ruin the recipe.
4. Remove pot from heat, cool overnight; discard bundle of lemon seeds, strain liquid.
5. Halve the clementines, scoop pulp into a blender or food processor. Set aside peels.
6. In a blender or food processor, blend clementine pulp on medium-high for 40 seconds or until smooth.
7. Add sugar, blended pulp, remaining four cups of water and the reserved lemon juice to pot. Heat gently, stirring until sugar dissolves, then boil for a few minutes.
8. Meanwhile, finely slice clementine peel then stir into boiling marmalade mixture. Continue boiling until marmalade reaches setting point (220°F at sea level) then remove pot from heat, skim foam, and let pot sit for 10-15 minutes to distribute peel evenly. SEE NOTES.
9. Fill hot, sterilized jars; seal tightly with two-part lids; process in boiling-water bath for 15 minutes (sea level). You should hear occasional popping as the filled jars cool and the lids invert.
10. Label jars; store in cool, dark place.
11. Note: Reaching the setting point may take some time, often 20min or more. To test the marmalade, put a drop on a plate and set in freezer until it's at room temperature (only a minute or so) and take it out, if it's jelly-like and not runny you've got it, this is especially helpful if you're not at sea level plus or minus 2,000ft.
12. Note Note: While boiling the marmalade mixture, use the longest spoon you have, stir very often but gently because you don't want hot sugary mix to burn you. Sugary mixtures retain heat longer and the burn can be quite intense.